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Henson makes Triple-A debut

Henson makes Triple-A debut
June 18, 2001

Columbus, Ohio (AP) – The last time Drew Henson appeared in a blue uniform in Columbus, he threw three touchdown passes and ran for another with 1:18 left as Michigan won before the largest Ohio State home crowd ever.
Wearing the blue pinstriped uniform of the Columbus Clippers on Monday night in his Triple-A debut, Henson – now a third baseman instead of a quarterback – said he doubted if that 38-26 loss last November by the Buckeyes and his role in it had been entirely forgotten by fans.

“But I hope they won’t be too hard on me,” he said with a grin.

Henson, who gave up football in March to sign a $17 million, six-year contract with the Yankees, joined New York’s top farm club on Monday after rehabbing a broken hand sustained during spring training.

Henson spent most of the next two months healing. In five games at Double-A Norwich of the Eastern League, he hit .368. He spent most of last year at Norwich, batting .287 with seven homers and 39 RBIs in 59 games.

“The hand is healed. It feels fine,” Henson said. “There’s no problems with it. They kept me down there long enough until it was fully healed.”

Henson, who now wears No. 6 instead of the No. 7 jersey he wore at Michigan, was excited to be moving up to Triple-A.

“It’s been a couple of months getting ready. It’s nice to get back out and play games, for one, but to also get up here as well,” he said.

Henson, a native of Brighton, Mich., was taken by the Yankees in the third round of the 1998 amateur draft and spent three season with the Wolverines.

“I think he’s got his feet on the ground for a man only 21 years old,” Yankees scout Clyde King said. “I expect good things out of him but nobody expects him to start out like a house afire. Triple-A is a not the same as Double-A.”